Cabinet Office minister Matt Hancock has highlighted the potential of public sector data science expertise in Cardiff and Newport

Speaking at the launch of a new website for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), Hancock highlighted the concentration of public sector bodies in the field of big data near to the Newport base of the ONS. According to the Cabinet Office, south Wales is the fastest-growing tech cluster in the UK.

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“We’re in the foothills of a data revolution,” said Hancock. “Data is no longer just a record of something that happened.

“It’s a mineable commodity from which we can extract value. It’s the unseen infrastructure of the digital economy, as important as any road or railway.

“It’s not just the ONS. In south Wales we have a big data cluster – DVLA, Companies House, ONS and the IPO [Intellectual Property Office]. So there is increasing potential for a south Wales big data cluster and to build the ecosystem – public, private and academic – that can deliver the capability we need.”

Hancock also announced a partnership between the ONS and UK charity tech incubator Alacrity, which aims to mentor graduates in Wales to develop their digital skills.

Digital hotbed

The minister highlighted the industrial heritage of the region and its potential to become a digital hotbed.

“Today, instead of coal, data is the most valuable raw material of our age. The way I see it, statistics are its refined product, and [the ONS] is the refinery,” he said.

“We can – and must – tap into that same spirit in the data revolution. That’s what it will take for us to turn our rich data assets into world-leading innovation.

Data culture call

In his role as minister for digital government, Hancock is championing the use of data to improve government and public services.

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